Susquehanna University officials announced last night they
would seek a meeting with the state Department of Health to
discuss cancer concerns involving young university alumni
and residents of a small part of Selinsgrove, where the
school is located.

The announcement came hours after The Patriot-News
published the results of its eight-month investigation into
alumni cancers and environmental contamination in
Selinsgrove.

In its statement, the university said it recognized
"recent media coverage" but that "these
reports reveal no new significant evidence."

The statement contradicted the gratitude expressed to the
newspaper by university President L. Jay Lemons last month.

During a February telephone interview, Lemons thanked the
newspaper for calling the school's attention to leaking
underground storage tanks which, unknown to the university,
had contaminated a property in an off-campus area where many
students live. The contaminants included benzene, a known
carcinogen.

The newspaper examined 40 cases of cancer associated with
Selinsgrove, including 18 people who attended Susquehanna
between 1990 and 2001 and developed cancer by age 30.

Twenty-one of the 40 cases had ties with a small,
off-campus area around David and Orange streets, across a
small stream from where the tanks had leaked.

The newspaper stories published yesterday described how
three out-of-state experts -- two epidemiologists and a
toxins specialist -- reviewed data gathered by the newspaper
and believed a formal cancer-cluster inquiry was warranted.

Yesterday, separate from the school's announcement,
the chairman of the Snyder County commissioners said he
would ask the Health Department to examine the results of
the newspaper investigation, so it could be determined if a
cancer cluster might exist among Susquehanna University
alumni and in Selinsgrove.

Last year, the Department of Health rejected a suggestion
for a formal inquiry. At the time, the department was
unaware of the Selinsgrove environmental contamination that
was revealed in the newspaper report.

"In light of the facts brought out in the Patriot-News
article, I think it would justify a second look," said
Steve Bilger, the commissioners chairman. "... I think
it is something where if you err, you err on the side of
safety."

Susquehanna University conducted its own review of the
cancer issue in 2003 after it was contacted by Linda Kadel,
a New Jersey woman whose son, 1997 graduate Patrick Kadel,
had died of a rare cancer. Before last night's
announcement, the school has declared repeatedly that its
environment was safe and that there was no cause for
concern.

Yesterday, university trustee Frank J. Leber, who lives in
the Mechanicsburg area, declined to comment on the newspaper
stories.

Susquehanna University students started spring break on
Friday and will not be in classes until next week.

Last night, junior Amanda Nagy, reached at her
parents' home near Scranton, said that university
students were prepared for the newspaper report because
administrators issued a letter to all students beforehand.

"The university students have been assured there is
nothing to worry about," said Nagy, who is a student
representative on the board of trustees. "I know that
if there was a problem, the university officials would not
live here with their families."

"Nobody seems to be interested in why so many people
are getting cancer in this vicinity," she said. "I
am interested in what is going to happen from here on in. It
is something to think about."

A couple who live near Burgess, David and Ann Bowersox,
said they had never heard of a cancer issue in the area
until recently, when local residents were being interviewed
for the newspaper stories.

Ann Bowersox said she "was not fazed" by the
stories and would continue to live on Orange Street.

Her husband said, "It's kind of strange that
there would be that many cases or incidences in such a small
area. ... It does appear there is something going on."

Selinsgrove Borough Council member Joe Herb said he had not
read the newspaper stories, but he expected to. And, he
said, it was likely council would discuss them.

"I think total transparency is what should
occur," Herb said. "When issues like this are
raised, I think it is important to investigate them to
determine if there is a problem. ... If there is a problem
existing, it should be fixed."

The grouping of cancers was first noticed by Kadel, whose
son died of an aggressive cancer in 2002, five years after
graduating from the university.

She has pushed for a formal inquiry into the situation for
four years. Her investigation, involving the sending of
hundreds of e-mails to university alumni, was stymied in
2003 when the university blocked her access to an online
database of alumni e-mail addresses.

Kadel said she felt "vindicated" by the opinions
of the out-of-state experts consulted by the newspaper.

"I am so grateful that someone took the time ... to
not dismiss my thoughts and fears," she said. "I
had no idea that the contamination was there. I knew there
was something."

Bilger spoke with Kadel more than a year ago after he
received a letter from her. She was, he said, very credible.

"I think she was a concerned mother, trying to get
answers," Bilger said. She sounded, he said,
"genuine. Absolutely genuine."